Republicans, Democrats Still at Odds on When and What a Package May Look Like

On April 9, Senate Democrats objected to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s unanimous consent request to pass $250 billion more dollars in small business funding. This disagreement, and the many that ensued over the CARES Act, may foreshadow how far apart the two parties are in terms of “Phase Four” coronavirus legislation. Over the last few weeks, Leader McConnell stated that the next phase for COVID-19 response should focus narrowly on oversight and expansion of the CARES Act. House Democrats have called for a host of provisions in the next phase, focusing more on economic stimulus than rescue. Last week Speaker Pelosi stated, then ultimately walked back, her intention to include an infrastructure package in such legislation. At this time, Congress is not scheduled to go back into session until April 20, though questions remain as to whether that is feasible due to the current status of the outbreak across the country. As talks around further COVID-19 legislation progress, AGC will continue to advocate for the interests of the construction industry.